11 gold mine workers to split $432K HSN 50/50 lottery win

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$432K HSN Foundation 50/50 jackpot won by mining group

HSN 50/50 supports future medical needs of northeastern Ont.

HSN 50/50 supports medical research in northern Ont.

HSN 50/50 supports equipment purchases for the hospital's state-of-the-art simulation lab

A group of 11 coworkers from the Greenstone Gold Mine in Geraldton, Ont., located about 600 kilometres northwest of Greater Sudbury, are sharing a jackpot of $432,700 after winning the August Health Sciences North (HSN) Foundation 50/50 draw.

The winning ticket, numbered BK-70322276, was officially held by Joel L. of Geraldton.

The foundation’s staff reached Joel by phone to inform him of the win, a moment captured on video and a recorded line.

The surprise phone call

After confirming his identity, Shane Gordon, the manager of lottery and websites for the HSN Foundation, told him that he was calling about the 50/50 tickets Joel had purchased.

Joel clarified the purchase was a collective effort.

“Uh, well, we bought group tickets already,” he said.

“Uh, we are a group here at Greenstone Gold Mine in Geraldton … and there’s 11 of us in the group,” Joel said when asked who the group was with.

Gordon then delivered the big news.

“What would your reaction be if I told you that group of 11 is sharing over 430,000 bucks?” he asked.

‘Are you serious?’

The response was one of pure astonishment.

“Are you serious?” Joel asked.

Upon confirmation, he could only manage a stunned “wow.”

Shock and celebration

The exact amount -- $432,700 -- was so large that Joel asked for it to be repeated.

“OK, hold on a second. I got to write this down because I got ... to tell the boys here,” he said.

The immediate reaction from his colleagues was audible in the background.

Joel quickly shushed Randy.

“We could bleep that out. We could bleep that out,” Gordon humorously interjected.

Joel explained that the group had been playing the monthly draw for “probably two years now,” a long-term investment that had yielded an incredible return.

You can watch the call with the winner above.

Proceeds support northern health care

In a social media post announcing the win, the HSN Foundation extended a “big congratulations” to Joel and thanked all participants.

“Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating our Healthcare Heroes in August – together, we’re supporting care at Health Sciences North and making a difference in countless lives,” the foundation wrote.

In a separate post wrapping up the month, the foundation highlighted the dual impact of the lottery.

“Your support is instrumental in helping us strengthen healthcare throughout northeastern Ontario and is deeply appreciated by the patients and their families who benefit from care at Health Sciences North.”

The foundation’s 50/50 fundraiser supports health care services at Health Sciences North, with half the proceeds going to the winner and the other half funding hospital care.

Since its launch in 2020, the HSN 50/50 has raised more than $62 million, with $31 million awarded to winners and $21.7 million reinvested into patient care, research, and facility upgrades at Health Sciences North.

Funds from ticket purchases support:

• specialized surgeries and procedures,
• enhanced care for neonatal patients,
• cancer research and treatment improvements,
• future capital redevelopment projects, and
• under Ontario’s lottery regulations, none of the proceeds go toward administrative salaries.

The lottery’s real-time updated jackpot continues to grow with each ticket sold, offering another chance for a life-changing win while supporting healthcare in northeastern Ontario.

Next month’s draw

The September HSN 50/50 draw is live at HSN5050.ca and the jackpot is already more than $165,000. Click here for more information.

Tickets for the September draw are available to purchase right now, with sales ending at 11:59 p.m. on Sept. 25. The jackpot-winning ticket will be drawn on Sept. 26 at 10 a.m.

“September signals back-to-school season, but it also heralds back-to-winning with an exhilarating month ahead,” said the foundation in another social media post, adding this month 50/50 participants can win “$30,000 in early bird prizes – you spoke, we heard – this month features all cash prizes.”

Early bird prizes of $10,000 each will be drawn on Sept. 5, 12 and 19.

Tickets can be purchased online, at the lottery kiosk at HSN on Ramsey Lake Road or at 22 retail locations in Greater Sudbury.

For more information on the HSN Foundation’s 50/50 draws and the work they do, visit their social media page.

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